Soft container for use with a light vehicle

ABSTRACT

A soft container for use with a light vehicle is provided. The light vehicle includes a handlebar assembly which includes a substantially U-shaped bar defining two opposing ends and a transverse bar disposed between the opposing ends of the U-shaped bar; wherein the soft container comprises a first container unit having an upper portion and an opening formed at the upper portion thereof; a hanging device extending from the upper portion; and a first fastening device is disposed on the container unit for detachably connecting the hanging device to the transverse bar.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a soft container for use with a light vehicle; specifically, a soft container for use with an electrical bike or tricycle for old age or handicapped person.

2. Descriptions of the Related Art

A light-duty electrical vehicle (e.g. bike or tricycle) has been well developed for transporting old age/handicap persons. It has a relatively compact size, and can be easily stored. This kind of vehicle is easy to control and may contribute to environmental protection.

This light-duty electrical vehicle provides a short-term transportation purpose which serves to transport a person to a desired location. It may, in many aspects, offer persons enjoyment in moving from one place to another. Therefore, to provide a space that holds personal articles during usage of the vehicle is very important.

A conventional light-duty electrical vehicle is always equipped with a metal basket at the front of the handlebar in order to provide a space for the user's convenience. In practice, the metal basket is manufactured in a factory and then sent off to another factory for assembly on to the head of the light-duty electrical vehicle. The following are the disadvantages of the metal basket as conventionally used:

(1) The metal basket occupies a very large space when being conveyed for assembly to the light-duty vehicle. Thus, the shipping fees are not cost-effective.

(2) The metal basket is mounted to the head of the vehicle by a screw or welding process. It is impossible or difficult for the user to carry it when the user does not use the vehicle.

(3) The metal basket is always made in the colors of black or silver. This creates inflexibility when matching the basket to the main color of the vehicle. Therefore, the appearance of the overall vehicle looks less harmonious.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of this invention is to provide a soft container for use with a light-duty electrical vehicle to solve the problems as mentioned above by using the following measures:

A soft container for use with a light vehicle is provided. The light vehicle includes a handlebar assembly which includes a substantially U-shaped bar defining two opposing ends and a transverse bar disposed between the opposing ends of the U-shaped bar; wherein the soft container comprises a first container unit having an upper portion and an opening formed at the upper portion thereof; a hanging device extending from the upper portion; and a first fastening device is disposed on the container unit for detachably connecting the hanging device to the transverse bar.

This technology may reduce shipping size and costs because the material used is soft and therefore compressible. In addition to the usage of hanging the container onto the head of the vehicle, the user may have it serve as a portable bag and carry it when leaving the vehicle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a soft container for use with a light-duty electrical vehicle. With this soft container, there are fewer constraints in the manufacture process; specifically, there is more flexibility in choosing the desired shaping, material and/or variable colors to match those of the head or even the whole vehicle, thereby enhancing the quality of the overall appearance that may stimulate consumers to purchase the product made according to the present invention.

The detailed technology and preferred embodiments implemented for the subject invention are described in the following paragraphs accompanying the appended drawings for people skilled in this field to well appreciate the features of the claimed invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the preferred embodiment of the claimed soft container;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a light-duty electrical tricycle that is equipped with the claimed soft container;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a light-duty electrical tricycle to be equipped with the claimed soft container; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of FIG. 3 that shows more details of the assembly of the claimed soft container to a handlebar of the vehicle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, a soft container 20 is disclosed for use with a light vehicle, especially for use with a light-duty electrical tricycle 1 for an old age person. The electrical tricycle 1 includes a handlebar assembly 10 which includes a substantially U-shaped bar 12 defining two opposing ends 121 and a transverse bar 11 disposed between the opposing ends 121 of the U-shaped bar 12.

The soft container 20 comprises a first container unit 21 having an upper portion 211 and an opening 212 formed at the upper portion 211 thereof. A hanging device 30 extends from the upper portion 211, and a first fastening device is disposed on the container unit 21 for detachably connecting the hanging device 30 to the transverse bar 11. Preferably, the hanging device 30 is a tap extending from a rear side of the upper portion 211 with its inner surface being provided with a male Velcro fastener 31 and a female Velcro fastener 32, or vise versa. When the hanging device 30 wraps around the transverse bar 11, the male Velcro fastener 31 and female Velcro fastener 32 are adapted to engage with each other to secure the soft container to the handlebar assembly 10. The soft container 20 is preferably designed to have a profile that can be generally fitted to the space defined by the U-shaped bat 12 and the transverse bar 11 in order to create an integral and harmonious appearance when the soft container 20 is hung on the vehicle 1.

Furthermore, referring to FIG. 1, to allow the soft container 20 to be hung on to handlebar assembly 10 in a more stable condition, the first container unit 21 further comprises a lower portion 213, and the soft container 20 further comprises an auxiliary fixing belt 40 disposed at the lower portion 213 of the first container unit 21, and a second fastening device provided at the auxiliary fixing belt 40 so that the fixing belt 40 is adapted to removably encompass the U-shaped bar 12. Preferably, the auxiliary fixing belt 40 extends from a rear side of the lower portion 213 with its rear surface 42 being provided with two male Velcro fasteners 41 at two opposing ends of the belt 40, and two female Velcro fasteners 43 in between the male Velcro fasteners 41, or vise versa. When the auxiliary fixing belt 40 wraps around the U-shaped bar 12, the two male Velcro fasteners 41 and two female Velcro fasteners 43 are adapted to engage with each other so that the lower portion 213 of the soft container 20 is attached to the handlebar assembly 10 in a more stable way.

For the user's convenience of carrying compact articles, such as sunglasses, small purses, keys, cell phones and/or a small bottle of water, a second container unit 22 can be provided at a location opposite to the first container unit 21. Other container units can be added to the sides of either the first container unit 21 or the second container unit 22, or both, if desired.

To prevent the articles from dropping out of the container units, preferably, the first container unit 21 further includes a first lid 25 extending from the upper portion 211 thereof, and a first fastener removably connecting a free end of the first lid 25 to the first container unit 21. In this case, the first lid 25 is shaped as a tap that is longer than the hanging device 30 and extends from the rear side of the hanging device 30, thereby when the user carries the container 20 on when leaving the vehicle 1, the first lid 25 can well close the opening 212 of the first container unit 21 without interfering with the hanging device 30 which has been disengaged with the transverse bar 11. Similarly, the second container unit 22 further includes a second lid 26 extending from the upper portion thereof, and a second fastener removably connecting a free end of the second lid 26 to the second container unit 22.

Similar to the Velcro-type fastening measures used for the first and second fastening devices 30, 40 as mentioned above, a Velcro fastener, i.e. a male Velcro fastener 27 engaged with a female Velcro fastener 23, is introduced for the first lid 25 to securely close the first container unit 21; and another Velcro fastener, i.e. a male Velcro fastener (not shown) that is engaged with a female Velcro fastener 24, is introduced for the second lid 26 to securely close the second container unit 22. It should be understood that the Velcro fastener(s) as mentioned are not the only way for engaging two elements in the application of the first and second fastening device, and that the first and second fasteners, button-type fastener(s) or other equivalents can be used to achieve the basic engagement purpose.

The above disclosure is related to the detailed technical contents and inventive features thereof. People skilled in this field may proceed with a variety of modifications and replacements based on the disclosures and suggestions of the invention as described without departing from the characteristics thereof. By way of example only, the hanging device 30 is not necessarily disposed at the locations as specified above. It is also feasible if the hanging device 30 is disposed at the upper portion of the second container unit 22. The fixing belt 40 that is attached to the lower portion of the second container 22 can be attached to other places as well, provided that it is still able to wrap around the U-shaped bar 12 for the auxiliary fixation. Nevertheless, although such modifications and replacements are not fully disclosed in the above descriptions, they have substantially been covered in the following claims as appended. 

1. A soft container for use with a light vehicle, in which the light vehicle includes a handlebar assembly which includes a substantially U-shaped bar defining two opposing ends and a transverse bar disposed between the opposing ends of the U-shaped bar; wherein: the soft container comprises: a first container unit having an upper portion and an opening formed at the upper portion thereof, a hanging device extending from the upper portion; and a first fastening device disposed on the first container unit for detachably connecting the hanging device to the transverse bar.
 2. The soft container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first container unit further comprises a lower portion, and the soft container further comprises an auxiliary fixing belt disposed at the lower portion of the first container unit, and a second fastening device provided at the auxiliary fixing belt in order that the fixing belt is adapted to removably encompass the U-shaped bar.
 3. The soft container as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a second container unit being fixed opposing to the first container unit.
 4. The soft container as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first container unit further includes a first lid extending from the upper portion thereof, and a first fastener removably connecting a free end of the first lid to the first container unit.
 5. The soft container as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second container unit further includes a second lid (26) extending from the upper portion thereof, and a second fastener removably connecting a free end of the second lid to the second container unit.
 6. The soft container as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of the first fastening device, the second fastening device, the first fastener and the second fastener is at least one Velcro-type fastener.
 7. The soft container as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of the first fastening device, the second fastening device, the first fastener and the second fastener is at least one button-type fastener.
 8. The soft container as claimed in claim 1, which generally fits to a space which is defined by the U-shaped are and the transverse bar defines a space being adapted to generally fit the soft container.
 9. The soft container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light vehicle is an electrical tricycle for an old age person/handicap. 